What is the keto diet?
The ketogenic diet, originally developed as a strict, medically supervised regimen to help reduce seizures in children with epilepsy, is based on a process known as ketosis. During ketosis, your body burns stored fat, instead of glucose from carbs, for energy. The result? Weight loss.
Healthy keto foods and drinks
The keto diet has become a popular way for people to shed weight quickly. As this diet continues to attract followers and inspire new versions and spinoffs, it’s clear that some keto-friendly foods and drinks make better choices for inclusion than others.
Avocados
Avocados are the No. 1 food item for keto-friendly diets, says Lolita Carrico, a Los Angeles-based certified nutritionist and CEO of Ketology, a website with keto-friendly meal ideas, information about cookbooks and keto hacks.
Portobello mushrooms
With portobello mushrooms, you can experience a bread-like texture without actually eating bread or buns, says Vahista Ussery, a Fort Worth, Texas-based registered dietitian nutritionist, chef and founder of To Taste, a culinary nutrition consulting and education company.
Non-starchy veggies
Veggies belong to a healthy keto diet, but the key is to focus on low-carb, non-starchy ones, Ussery says.
Cauliflower and other starch substitutes
Cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower ice cream — cauliflower food hacks have almost become a keto cliché.
Leaner proteins
Poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy and yogurt are all leaner protein options that can be part of the keto diet.
Nuts and nut butters
Walnuts and pecans are good nut choices, especially for older adults.
Berries
Fruits are one of the restricted food groups on keto. But berries, featured in many diets, including DASH and MIND, can be a keto-compatible fruit option, provided you keep portions small, Vandenberg says. She recommends a serving size of about ½ cup of raspberries, blackberries or strawberries.
Leafy greens
Healthy plant foods and the keto diet can go hand in hand.
Full-fat dairy
Many people want to know: Can I have dairy on the keto diet? The answer is a resounding yes, but there’s a catch — you need the right fat and carb ratio to meet the requirements of the diet.
Water
When it comes to what to drink, water is your best bet on the keto diet, especially for steering clear of dehydration.
Oils
Certain plant oils — for cooking, dressings and flavoring — play a big part in keto meals and snacks. Coconut, avocado and extra-virgin olive oil are prime sources for healthy fat, Carrico says.
Natural sweeteners
With the keto diet, “any non-sugar sweetener is fine, but they are counted in the total carb calculation for the day,” Westman points out.
Keto picnic foods
Just because you’ve gone keto doesn’t mean you need to forgo all social dining outings to stick with this sometimes-challenging food protocol. For example, if you’re going on a picnic, you can pack the following in your basket:
High-calorie keto foods
While the keto diet celebrates eating lots of fat, watch out on portion size. If you’re trying to lose weight on keto, calories still count. Some of the highest-calorie foods are the oils and full-fat dairy products that feature heavily on the menu.
What not to eat on the keto diet
While there are plenty of healthy foods that can have a place on the keto diet, there are a few foods you should avoid or limit on this diet. These include:
Who should avoid the keto diet?
Like any diet, there are pros and cons, and you should always weigh each before embarking on the keto path.
Words of caution
Although the keto diet is popular, many experts are not fans of this dietary approach. In fact, when ranked by a panel of health experts, the keto diet ranked No. 20 out of 24 diets on U.S. News’ Best Diets Overall and Easiest Diets to Follow. In addition, it received low scores in the weight loss and healthy eating categories, coming in at No. 21 and No. 22, respectively.
Healthy keto foods
Going keto? Put these healthy staples on your grocery list:
More from U.S. News
11 Healthy Food Swaps to Lose Weight
Tips to Succeed on the Keto Diet
A Day’s Worth of Meals on the Keto Diet
Best Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/27/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
